Finns in Lapin Sota (PDF)... - Flames of War

By Scott Elaurant, Jyrki Saari, Dion Holswich
and Wayne Turner
Updated on
15 Nov 2012

Lapin Sota – The Campaign Against Germany
By Scott Elaurant and Jyrki Saari
The terms of the armistice required Finland to expel or intern
all troops of her former partner Germany in two weeks. This
was difficult in the south, downright impossible in remote
Lapland where the 200,000 man German 20 th Mountain
Army could not have left the country in two weeks if it had
withdrawn at full speed, assuming the Germans had even
wanted to do so.
This situation led to the Lapin Sota – the war in Lapland,
against German troops remaining in Finland. Although
much less than the Continuation War in intensity and
number of troops involved, the Lapin Sota still ran over
seven months, included pitched battles, and cost the Finnish
army 3940 casualties, of which 774 were KIA and 262 MIA
by April 1945.
On 15 September, shortly before the deadline for German
troops to leave Finland, German troops tried to invade
Suursaari Island in the Gulf of Finland to secure their
lines of retreat. The attempt failed with over 1000 German
troops taken prisoner. It gave
a perfect excuse to motivate
Finnish troops to take arms
against their former comrades
in arms.
At first Finnish troops were
in no hurry to take up arms
against their former “co-belligerent”.
Much of the Finnish
army was being moved
behind the new border and
it took time to pull even an
adequate amount of troops
out of the front line. In
addition, the demobilisation
of the army was supposed
to start at the same time, as
demanded by the Soviets. III
Corps staff was sent north
and the troops included
the Panssari Division, 3 rd
Division, 6 th Division, 11 th
Division, 15 th Brigade and
the Rajajääkäri Brigade. 6 th
Division and the Rajajääkäri
Brigade were sent to Kajaani
while the rest were sent to
Oulu. The Finnish troops
pursued at the same rate as
the German 20 th Mountain
Army withdrew, avoiding
combat. However, soon the
Soviets were pressing Finland
to take firmer military action
and presented an ultimatum
to the Finnish government
on 30 September.
Purple arrows indicate
Finnish movement
and Red Soviet
movement. Grey lines
are German positions.
The commander of III Corps, General Siilasvuo carried
out a daring plan. On 1 October the Finnish JR11 from
3 rd Division was transported by ship to Tornio, a port town
on the Finnish – Swedish border. They managed to surprise
the Germans from Division Group Kräutler, captured a
supply depot there, defeated the small garrison and cut the
withdrawal route of German troops to Muonio. However,
the attack stopped when Finnish troops found a considerable
liquor store in the supply depot and started a victory celebration.
The situation was rapidly brought under control,
but the Germans still gained valuable time as the whole II
Battalion and part of I Battalion was temporarily unfit for
combat. Siilasvuo then shipped in the rest of 3 rd Division
infantry (JR53) and 1 st Company of 1 st Tank Battalion (T-26
tanks). Germans had also received reinforcements and counterattacked
furiously with two Kampfgruppen, Kampfgruppe
Steets (MG Ski Brigade Finland reinforced with Gebirgsjäger
battalions) and Kampfgruppe Tornio (two battalions, one SS
recon battalion and Pz.Abt 211). They took the initiative
Lapin Sota - Lapland War

and pushed the Finns back a short distance along the roads
to Muonio and Kemi. Only when 11 th Division and the artillery
of both divisions had been shipped in could the Finns
regain initiative and press further, surrounding the MG Ski
brigade. The battle of Tornio ended on 8 October when
the surrounded German brigade broke off the encirclement
with heavy losses. Kampfgruppe Tornio had already been
ordered to withdraw on 7 October.
Meanwhile 15 th Brigade advancing from Oulu attacked
Kemi. It tried to surround the two German battalions
there, but a German counterattack broke the encirclement
and most escaped. Kemi was secured on 8 October. The
Panssari Division and 6 th Division had started to advance
towards Rovaniemi on 1 October. To clear the command
structure Siilasvuo combined the divisions of III Corps into
two major groups, Group Lagus with Panssari Division and
6 th Division and Group Pajari with 3 rd and 11 th Divisions.
In reprisal for the attacks, the German northern army
adopted scorched earth tactics. Everything was boobytrapped,
buildings were burned, roads were mined and
destroyed and anything even resembling a bridge was blown
up. With the arctic winter approaching and the need for
shelter critical, this would prove a bitter blow to local civilians,
who would suffer great hardship in the winter of
1944-45.
During the battles at Kemi and Tornio, Group Lagus,
spearheaded by the Jääkäri Brigade, continued to advance
towards Rovaniemi fighting German rearguards. Group
Pajari sent 11 th Division towards Muonio to the north while
3 rd Division and 15 th Brigade were directed to Rovaniemi.
However, many difficulties would beset the pursuers. The
roads were few and had many unbridged
creek crossings, and in any case all of
the bridges had usually been destroyed
by Germans, so that the Sturmi assault
guns and many other vehicles with
low clearance had to be left behind.
Mines were everywhere and continued
to cause casualties. Finally the difficult
nature of the northern terrain asserted
itself, making movement difficult,
while the rocky slopes of northern
hills made ideal blocking positions.
Plentiful swamps and water obstacles
made outflanking and going around
destroyed road sections difficult.
The battles with the withdrawing
Germans usually followed the same
frustrating pattern throughout the
Lapland War. The Germans would set
up a blocking position with a mobile
rearguard of a couple of motorised
infantry battalions supported by strong
artillery and pioneers. The position
was flanked by a river (the roads in
Lapland usually ran parallel to one of
the plentiful rivers) on one side and
was extended as far into the wilderness
as possible on the other. Furthermore,
as the pursuing Finns were on foot it
Source: Sotatoimet p.290
was easy to calculate the place of the blocking position so
that the pursuers reached it in the evening. On the destroyed
roads most of the artillery was usually left far behind so there
was no choice but to try and go around the position. When
the flanking force got to a threatening position during the
night the Germans simply boarded their trucks and left
to establish another position where the same game started
all over again. Destroyed bridges were kept under artillery
and rocket fire for as long as possible so that repairs started
late. Combined with the destroyed and mined roads this
meant that heavy equipment and supply columns were left
far behind of the advancing infantry while the broken roads
took a heavy toll on the already worn trucks.
At Portimojärvi Group Lagus met German defensive
position built for protecting Rovaniemi. It was defended by
Gebirgsjäger Regiment 218 from 7. Gebirgsdivision, charged
with keeping the Finns on the south side of River Kemi until
at least 14 October. Jääkäri Battalions 2, 3 and 4 were sent
to outflank the German position from the west while Jääkäri
Battalion 5 would advance to contact the defensive position.
The Jääkäri Battalions managed to cut the road to Rovaniemi
but soon started to run low on ammunition as supply had to
be carried through rough wilderness terrain. The Germans
broke out to the north on 9 October. Group Lagus then continued
to advance fighting the rearguards until the Germans
withdrew to Rovaniemi and destroyed the Bridges of River
Kemi behind them.
Finnish troops were ordered to surround Rovaniemi to cut
off the German troops there. The vanguard of Group Lagus
crossed River Kemi east of Rovaniemi and cut the railway
to Kemijärvi. They could not cross River Ounas between

them and Rovaniemi as the western bank was heavily defended.
The vanguard of Group Pajari, battle group Halsti, was ordered
to outflank Rovaniemi from the northwest and cut the road to
Muonio. The outflanking succeeded and the battlegroup attacked
into a German column on the march and cut the road on two
places. However, as the Germans brought reinforcements from
Rovaniemi ammunition once again started to run low and the
battle group had to withdraw. Rovaniemi had been thoroughly
destroyed and mined by the Germans.
Meanwhile 11 th Division was advancing towards Muonio in the
Tornio River valley. If Muonio could be occupied an important
withdrawal route of Germans from Rovaniemi would be cut. The
Germans knew this well enough and offered tough resistance.
The Finns managed to outflank and surround the German rearguard
a few times but the Germans always had sufficient strength
to break out as the outflanking troops lacked both ammunition
and artillery support.
After the battles at Rovaniemi were over 3 rd Division was ordered
towards Muonio as it was planned to catch the Germans between
11 th and 3 rd Division. 3 rd Division had to cross the River Ounas
and that delay meant it could not effectively tie down the retreating
Germans.
Muonio was occupied by 6. SS-Gebirgsdivision “Nord” protecting
the evacuation of a local supply base. 11 th Division couldn’t
break the defences and outflanking attempts only managed to Source: Sotatoimet p.294
trap elements of 6. SS. The Germans managed to breakthrough
the encirclement with minor losses. Muonio was thoroughly
destroyed by the Germans. 3 rd Division only reached Muonio when the Battle was effectively over and the Germans had
disengaged.
Meanwhile Group Lagus pressed after German troops retreating north-east on the Arctic Sea Road towards North Cape
via Sodankylä and Ivalo. The Finnish high command planned to bring in more troops but the Soviets, in a typical fashion,
refused to allow the demobilisation schedule to be slowed, instead demanding that the pursuing troops start demobilising
as well. Thus, a few days later 6 th Division was disbanded which left only the Panssari Division, itself weakened by the
demobilisation, to continue. The Division, in practice the weakened Jääkäri Brigade as tanks had been left far behind on
the mined and destroyed roads, pushed on slowed by weather, mines, German demolition works, and battles with the
German rearguard. At Vuotso the Jääkäri Brigade ran into a temporary blocking position which delayed the advance until
the Germans disengaged on 25 October.
South of Ivalo German forces had prepared strong defensive line with fortified positions, the so-called Schutzwall, defended
by the German 169. Infanteriedivision. The positions were almost impossible to outflank in the terrain and the nearly fullstrength
and well supplied division was more than a match for the tired and badly understrength Jääkäri Brigade, where each
battalion was about company sized due to casualties and forced demobilisation. Several attempts to outflank the position
failed and frontal assault without adequate artillery support was out of the question. 169. Infanteriedivision disengaged on
31 October. The Brigade soldiered on, battling German rearguards, and arrived at Ivalo on 13 November as Germans were
withdrawing. The last rearguard of Grenadier Regiment 379 left Finland on 18 November.
After the Muonio battle 3 rd Division was ordered to form a new infantry regiment, JR 1, around the cadre of JR 11. The
division was then disbanded as demanded by the demobilisation. 11 th Division similarly formed JR 3 around the cadre of
JR 8. The new regiments only had two battalions each. In addition, the battalions had fewer men than a wartime battalion.
These meagre troops were combined with artillery and support troops to form a new 1 st Division, which then continued after
the Germans. The Germans had several well fortified blocking positions and withdrew systematically through Kaaresuvanto
and Kilpisjärvi until on 25 April, 1945, they left Finland, leaving their minefields as a going away present. Ten days later
Germany surrendered to the allies.

Finnish Special Rules
Self Sufficient
The Finnish Army is composed of farmers and hunters, used
to an outdoor lifestyle and making their own decisions.
Their training emphasised this self-sufficiency.
Finnish Platoons use the German Mission Tactics special
rule (see page 242 of the Flames Of War rulebook).
Hunters
Finland is a country of forests and lakes and the natives know
their country well. They are able to quickly move through
this difficult terrain with ease. Skiing is the national sport
in Finland, as well as a necessity for travelling cross-country.
Finnish platoons are ski-equipped, increasing their mobility
during winter.
Finnish Infantry and Man-packed Gun teams may move
At the Double through Woods and deep snow.
Intercepted Communications
During their fighting against the Soviets in 1944 the Finns
would often intercept Soviet radio communications. This
gave them prior knowledge of the Red Army’s attacks and
where their troops were massing. The Finns would use this
information to bring down very accurate artillery bombardment
on the enemy positions.
Because of the excellent quality of the Finnish radio interception,
Artillery Bombardments fired by an artillery platoon
with a Staff team may re-roll the third failed attempt to
range in. The artillery platoon does not get a re-roll on their
first and second attempts.
Automated Fire Control
General Vilho P Nenonen trained and reorganised the
Finnish artillery. Now they have several innovations to
improve its performance. Finnish artillery organisation is
very flexible and allows any Forward Observer to call down
fire from any battery in range. Major Unto Petäjä’s new
correction converter meant that artillery could respond to
orders from any Observer very quickly, with a high degree
of accuracy.
A Finnish Observer team from an artillery battery with a
Staff team may act as the Spotting team for any artillery
platoon, whether or not they have a Staff team.
When a Finnish artillery battery that has a Staff team fires
an Artillery Bombardment, any other artillery batteries
with Staff teams may join it before rolling to Range In and
fire as a single combined Artillery Battery.
Bitter Enemies
The Finns are a stubborn people used to adversity. The
survival of their country is at stake. All Finnish troops are
prepared to fight at close quarters if needed to see off the
invading Red Army.
When Finnish platoons fighting against any Soviet force take
a Motivation Test to Counterattack in assaults, you may reroll
the die and apply the re-rolled result to Finnish platoons
instead of the original result.

Lapin Sota Jalkaväkikomppania
Lapland War Infantry Company
(Infantry Company)
Headquarters
Headquarters
Jalkaväkikomppania HQ
7
You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from each box
shaded grey.
Your Divisional Support Platoons must be either Regular (marked ) or Elite (marked ). All
Support platoons marked with any of these symbols must be from the same symbol. Support
platoons without a symbol can be taken by either symbol choice.
Combat Platoons
Infantry
Jalkaväki Platoon
Infantry
Jalkaväki Platoon
Infantry
8
8
Weapons Platoons
Machine-guns
Jalkaväki Machine-gun
Platoon
Machine-guns
Jalkaväki Machine-gun
Platoon
Artillery
8
8
Division Support Platoons
Armour
Anti-tank
Infantry
Panssari Platoon
Heavy Anti-tank Platoon
Pioneeri Platoon
18
19
17
Jalkaväki Platoon
8
Jalkaväki Mortar Platoon
9
Artillery
Artillery Battery
20
Regimental Support Platoons
Anti-tank
Jalkaväki Tank-hunter
Platoon
Artillery
Jalkaväki Heavy Mortar
Platoon
Recon
9
10
Artillery
Anti-aircraft
Aircraft
Artillery Battery
Heavy Artillery Battery
Anti-aircraft Platoon
Finnish Air Support
20
20
19
21
Jalkaväki Scout Platoon
10

Finnish
Motivation and Skill
The Lapin Sota placed the Finnish Army in a difficult situation. Many of the “old hands”
were reluctant to take up arms against their former brothers in arms. These platoons are
rated Reluctant Veteran.
Jalkaväkikomppania HQ
Headquarters
Company HQ
Options
35 points
• Add an Anti-tank Section with Lahti Anti-tank Rifle
teams for +10 points per team
• Replace Lahti Anti-tank Rifle teams with Panzerfaust
Rifle teams for +10 points per team or Panzerschreck
teams for +10 points per team.
• Add up to three Sniper team for +50 points per
team.
A Jalkaväkikomppania (Infantry Company — pronounced
yal-kar-va-kee komp-pa-nee-a) is led by a Kapteeni (Captain
— pronounced kap-teen-ee) who is by now a veteran of years
of fighting. Finnish divisions have had to be reduced from
three to two regiments each of infantry, but they are still
balanced teams with infantry, light infantry (Jääkäri scouts),
Headquarters
Company Command
SMG team
Lahti Anti-tank
Rifle
Reluctant
Confident
Fearless
Kapteeni
Kaptenni
Company HQ
Kersantti
Anti-tank Section
2iC Command
SMG team
Lahti Anti-tank
Rifle
Jalkaväkikomppania HQ
Conscript
Trained
Veteran
machine guns and mortars. Over the last year enough new
guns have been acquired for each regiment to have an antitank
unit. Divisional support is better than ever, with antiaircraft,
anti-tank and artillery support readily available.
Lapin Sota Jalkaväkikomppania

Combat Platoons
Jalkaväki Platoon
Platoon
HQ Section with
4 Jalkaväki Squads 145 points
3 Jalkaväki Squads 110 points
Options
• Replace the Command SMG team with a Command
Close-defence SMG team for +5 points or with a
Command Panzerfaust SMG team for +10 points.
• Replace all Rifle/MG teams with SMG teams at no
cost.
Only one Jalkaväki Platoon in a company may replace
its Rifle/MG teams with SMG teams.
Jalkaväki platoons are the core of the Finnish army. The
infantry are well-trained, well-led, combat-seasoned, and
comfortable fighting in the difficult terrain and weather of
their country, which the foreign invaders find so challenging.
It has been necessary to return a few of the old hands home
to work in the farms and factories, but the new boys perform
just as well.
Kersantti
Rifle/MG team
Rifle/MG team
Jalkaväki Squad
Kersantti
Rifle/MG team
Rifle/MG team
Jalkaväki Squad
Luutnantti
Luutnantti
Command
SMG team
HQ Section
Jalkaväki Platoon
Kersantti
Rifle/MG team
Rifle/MG team
Jalkaväki Squad
Kersantti
Rifle/MG team
Rifle/MG team
Jalkaväki Squad
Weapons Platoons
Jalkaväki Machine-gun Platoon
Platoon
HQ Section with
2 Machine-gun Sections 115 points
1 Machine-gun Section 60 points
When attacking the German the ever reliable Maxim HMG
is still at hand to see them to pin them down before sending
in the attack.
A Jalkaväki Machine-gun Platoon may make Combat
Attachments to Jalkaväki Platoons.
Kersantti
Machine-gun
Section
LUutnantTI
LUutnantTi
Command SMG team
HQ Section
Kersantti
Maxim HMG Maxim HMG Maxim HMG Maxim HMG
Machine-gun
Section
Jalkaväki Machine-gun Platoon

Finnish
Jalkaväki Mortar Platoon
Platoon
HQ Section with
3 Mortar Sections 75 points
2 Mortar Sections 55 points
Our little Tampella M/35 81mm mortars remain a great
support weapon for the infantry. Skilled observers can bring
their shells down on the enemy before they have time to
react.
Jalkaväki Tank-hunter Platoon
Platoon
Kersantti
Tampella M/35
81mm mortar
Mortar
Section
LUutnantTi
Command
SMG team
Regimental Support Platoons
LUutnantTi
HQ Section
Kersantti
Tampella M/35
81mm mortar
Mortar
Section
Observer Rifle
team
Jalkaväki Mortar Platoon
Luutnantti
Luutnantti
Kersantti
Tampella M/35
81mm mortar
Mortar
Section
Lapin Sota Jalkaväkikomppania
HQ Section with
3 Anti-tank Sections 160 points
2 Anti-tank Sections 115 points
1 Anti-tank Section 70 points
During the fighting against the Germans a lot of older antitank
guns were withdrawn from service. However, many
soldiers are armed with Panssarinyrkki (Panzerfaust) antitank
launchers, making them much more deadly than their
predecessors armed with Molotov Cocktails.
Panzerfaust
Rifle team
Kersantti
Anti-tank Section
Command
Panzerfaust SMG team
Panzerfaust
Rifle team
HQ Section
Kersantti
Panzerfaust
Rifle team
Kersantti
Panzerfaust
Rifle team
Anti-tank Section
Panzerfaust
Rifle team
Panzerfaust
Rifle team
Anti-tank Section
Jalkaväki Tank-hunter Platoon

Jalkaväki Heavy Mortar Platoon
LUutnantTi
Platoon
LUutnantTi
HQ Section with
3 Mortar Sections 90 points
2 Mortar Sections 65 points
Command
SMG team
HQ Section
Observer Rifle
team
Options
Kersantti
Kersantti
Kersantti
• Add horse-drawn wagons for +5 points for the
platoon.
• Replace horse-drawn wagons with 3-ton trucks at
no cost.
Tampella M/40
120mm mortar
Tampella M/40
120mm mortar
Tampella M/40
120mm mortar
Our own Tampella 120mm mortars along with those we
captured from the Soviets provide our infantry with heavy
firepower. The heavy mortars’ high explosive rounds disrupt
enemy positions as the Finns advance on them.
Horse-drawn
wagon
Mortar
Section
Horse-drawn
wagon
Mortar
Section
Horse-drawn
wagon
Mortar
Section
Jalkaväki Heavy Mortar Platoon
Jalkaväki Scout Platoon
Platoon
HQ Section with
4 Scout Squads 200 points
3 Scout Squads 155 points
2 Scout Squads 110 points
Options
• Replace the Command Rifle team with a Command
SMG team for +5 points or Command Close-defence
SMG team for +10 points or with a Command
Panzerfaust SMG team for +15 points.
• Replace all Rifle teams with SMG teams for +10 points
per Scout Squad.
Jääkäri (pronounced yay-kar-ree) means hunter as well as
scout, and these units perform both roles. Infantry divisions
have lost their light detachments in the reorganisation
of 1944, but every regiment and battalion still has a Scout
Platoon for aggressive reconnaissance. Scout units remain
the hand picked cream of the Finnish army.
Kersantti
Rifle team
Rifle team
Scout Squad
Kersantti
Rifle team
Rifle team
Scout Squad
Luutnantti
Luutnantti
Command
Rifle team
HQ Section
Kersantti
Rifle team
Rifle team
Scout Squad
Kersantti
Rifle team
Rifle team
Scout Squad
A Jalkaväki Scout
Platoon is rated as
Confident Veteran.
Confident
Veteran
Jalkaväki Scout Platoon
A Jalkaväki Scout Platoon is a Reconnaissance Platoon.
10

Lapin Sota Jääkärikomppania
Lapland War Light Infantry Company
(Infantry Company)
Headquarters
Headquarters
Jääkärikomppania HQ
13
You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from each box
shaded grey.
Your Divisional Support Platoons must be either Regular (marked ) or Elite (marked ). All
Support platoons marked with any of these symbols must be from the same symbol. Support
platoons without a symbol can be taken by either symbol choice.
Combat Platoons
Infantry
Jääkäri Platoon
Infantry
Jääkäri Platoon
13
13
Weapons Platoons
Machine-gun
Jääkäri Machine-gun
Platoon
Machine-gun
Jääkäri Machine-gun
Platoon
14
14
Division Support Platoons
Armour
Armour
Panssari Platoon
Panssari Platoon
Heavy Anti-tank Platoon
18
18
19
Infantry
Jääkäri Platoon
13
Artillery
Jääkäri Mortar Platoon
14
Infantry
Jalkaväki Platoon
Pioneeri Platoon
8
17
Anti-tank
Jääkäri Tank-hunter
Platoon
15
Reconnaissance
Armoured Car Platoon
19
Brigade Support Platoons
Anti-tank
Jääkäri Heavy Tankhunter
Platoon
Anti-tank
Jääkäri Heavy Tankhunter
Platoon
15
15
Artillery
Artillery
Anti-aircraft
Artillery Battery
Artillery Battery
Heavy Artillery Battery
Anti-aircraft Platoon
20
20
20
19
Self-propelled Anti-aircraft
Platoon
18
Aircraft
Air Support
21
12

Finnish
Motivation and Skill
The Jääkäri remain the best of the Finnish infantry, and rigorous training and
patrolling has kept them so during the quiet of 1943, though they are not so keen to fight the
Germans. A Jääkärikomppania is rated Confident Veteran.
Jääkärikomppania HQ
Headquarters
Company HQ
Options
40 points
• Add an Anti-tank Section with Lahti Anti-tank Rifle
teams for +15 points per team.
• Replace Lahti Anti-tank Rifle teams with Panzerfaust
Rifle teams for +10 points per team, or Panzerschreck
teams for +10 points per team.
• Add up to three Sniper team for +50 points per
team.
A Jääkärikomppania (Light Infantry Company — pronounced
yay-kar-ree komp-pa-nee-a) is led by a Kapteeni (Captain)
who has been selected for his skill, courage and initiative.
The Jääkäri provide much of the cutting edge of the Finnish
army. The Panssari Division has a brigade of Jääkäri that are
the finest troops in the army. While much of the army has
Headquarters
Company Command
SMG team
Lahti Anti-tank
Rifle
Reluctant
Confident
Fearless
Kapteeni
Kaptenni
Company HQ
Kersantti
Anti-tank Section
2iC Command
SMG team
Lahti Anti-tank
Rifle
Jääkärikomppania HQ
Conscript
Trained
Veteran
been used in a static defensive role for the last two years, the
Jääkäri have been patrolling and engaging the enemy. Their
tactics emphasize speed and mobility. A high proportion of
their leaders are volunteers or former regular army officers.
For them the best form of reconnaissance is attack.
Lapin Sota Jääkärikomppania
Combat Platoons
Jääkäri Platoon
Platoon
HQ Section with
4 Jääkäri Squads 145 points
3 Jääkäri Squads 115 points
Options
• Replace the Command SMG team with a Command
Close-defence SMG team for +5 points or with a
Command Panzerfaust SMG team for +10 points.
• Replace all Rifle teams with SMG teams for +15 points
per Jääkäri Squad.
• Upgrade a Jääkäri Platoon to be a Reconnaissance
Platoon for +60 points for the platoon.
Only one Jääkäri Platoon in a company may be
upgraded to a Reconnaissance Platoon.
Jääkäri (pronounced yay-kar-ree) means hunter as well as
scout, and these units perform both roles. Whether they are
fighting alongside an infantry unit or a Panssari unit, they
are always at the vanguard. Often composed of men from
rural areas, they have excellent fieldcraft skills.
Kersantti
Rifle team
Rifle team
Jääkäri Squad
Kersantti
Rifle team
Rifle team
Jääkäri Squad
Luutnantti
Luutnantti
Command
SMG team
HQ Section
Jääkäri Platoon
Kersantti
Rifle team
Rifle team
Jääkäri Squad
Kersantti
Rifle team
Rifle team
Jääkäri Squad
13

Weapons Platoons
Jääkäri Machine-gun Platoon
Platoon
HQ Section with
2 Machine-gun Sections 135 points
1 Machine-gun Section 70 points
Using surprise and quick repositioning of their machine
guns, the Jääkäri are able to make better use of them in
mobile battles.
A Jääkäri Machine-gun Platoon may make Combat
Attachments to Jääkäri Platoons.
Kersantti
Machine-gun
Section
LUutnantTI
LUutnantTi
Command SMG team
HQ Section
Kersantti
Maxim HMG Maxim HMG Maxim HMG Maxim HMG
Machine-gun
Section
Jääkäri Machine-gun Platoon
Jääkäri Mortar Platoon
Platoon
HQ Section with
3 Mortar Sections 75 points
2 Mortar Sections 55 points
Options
• Replace all Light Mortar teams with Tampella
81mm M/35 mortars and add an Observer Rifle
team for +10 points.
The Jääkäri were originally equipped with captured Soviet
light mortars for mobile firepower. However with their inclusion
in the Panssari as an infantry brigade they are now using
the same Tampella 81mm mortars as the Jalkaväki units.
Kersantti
Light Mortar
team
Mortar
Section
LUutnantTi
Command
SMG team
LUutnantTi
HQ Section
Kersantti
Light Mortar
team
Mortar
Section
Observer Rifle
team
Jääkäri Mortar Platoon
Kersantti
Light Mortar
team
Mortar
Section
A Jääkäri Mortar Platoon may make Combat Attachments
to Jääkäri Platoons.
14

Finnish
Jääkäri Tank-hunter Platoon
Platoon
HQ Section with
2 Anti-tank Sections 70 points
1 Anti-tank Section 40 points
Options
• Replace all Lahti Anti-tank Rifle teams with
Panzerfaust Rifle teams for +10 points per team and
Command SMG team with Command Panzerfaust
SMG team for +10 points.
The Jääkäri favour the use of lighter anti-tank weapons such
as the Lahti. The Jääkäri were among the first units to be
equipped with the new anti-tank launchers, and have learned
to use these with devastating effect on enemy armour.
Lahti Anti-tank
Rifle
Kersantti
Lahti Anti-tank
Rifle
Anti-tank Section
Brigade Support Platoons
Luutnantti
Luutnantti
Command
SMG team
HQ Section
Lahti Anti-tank
Rifle
Kersantti
Anti-tank Section
Jääkäri Tank-hunter Platoon
Lahti Anti-tank
Rifle
Lapin Sota Jääkärikomppania
Jääkäri Heavy Tank-hunter Platoon
Luutnantti
Platoon
Luutnantti
HQ Section with
2 50 PstK/38 60 points
Command
SMG team
2 75 PstK/40 guns 105 points
1 75 PstK/40 gun 55 points
Kersantti
HQ Section
Kersantti
Option
• Add tractors for +5 points for the platoon.
Anti-tank gun
Anti-tank gun
The Jääkäri Brigade had first priority in receiving the new
German PaK guns and transport to keep mobile.
Tractor
Anti-tank Section
Tractor
Anti-tank Section
Jääkäri Heavy Tank-hunter Platoon
15

Lapin Sota Pioneerikomppania
Lapin Sota Combat Engineer Company
(Infantry Company)
Headquarters
Company HQ
Pioneerikomppania HQ
17
You must field one platoon from each box shaded black and may field one platoon from each box
shaded grey.
Your Divisional Support Platoons must be either Regular (marked ) or Elite (marked ). All
Support platoons marked with any of these symbols must be from the same symbol. Support
platoons without a symbol can be taken by either symbol choice.
Combat Platoons
Infantry
Pioneeri Platoon
Infantry
Pioneeri Platoon
17
17
Division Support Platoons
Armour
Anti-tank
Panssari Platoon
Heavy Anti-tank Platoon
18
19
Infantry
Infantry
Jalkaväki Platoon
8
Jalkaväki Scout Platoon
10
Pioneeri Platoon
17
Artillery
Artillery Battery
20
Artillery
Artillery Battery
20
Heavy Artillery Battery
20
Anti-aircraft
Anti-aircraft Platoon
19
Aircraft
Air Support
21
16

Finnish
Motivation and Skill
The Pioneeri are superbly trained and experienced, although some of the troops grow weary
from five years of war. A Lapin Sota Pioneerikomppania is rated as Reluctant Veteran.
Pioneerikomppania HQ
Headquarters
Company HQ
35 points
The Pioneerikomppania (Engineer Company — pronounced
pi-o-neer-ee komp-pa-nee-a) provide the Finnish divisions
experts in field engineering and mine clearing. They
also serve as excellent assault troops for taking our enemy
fortifications.
Headquarters
Company Command
SMG team
Reluctant
Confident
Kapteeni
Kaptenni
Fearless
Company HQ
2iC Command
SMG team
Pioneerikomppania HQ
Conscript
Trained
Veteran
Lapin Sota Pioneerikomppania
Combat Platoons
Pioneeri Platoon
Platoon
HQ Section with
4 Pioneeri Squads 155 points
3 Pioneeri Squads 120 points
2 Pioneeri Squads 85 points
Options
• Replace the Command Pioneer Rifle team with a
Command Pioneer SMG team for +5 points or with
a Command Panzerfaust SMG team for +10 points.
• Replace all Pioneer Rifle teams with Pioneer SMG
teams for +10 points per Pioneeri Squad.
• Add Pioneer Supply truck for +25 points.
The Pioneeri continue to perform the hardest jobs with
aplomb. In attack their satchel charges, flame-throwers and
pioneer skills are invaluable.
You may replace up to two Pioneer Rifle or SMG teams in
the platoon with a Flame-thrower team each at the start of
the game before deployment.
Command
Pioneer Rifle team
Kersantti
Pioneer Rifle team
Pioneer Rifle team
Pioneeri Squad
Kersantti
Pioneer Rifle team
Pioneer Rifle team
Pioneeri Squad
Luutnantti
Luutnantti
HQ Section
Pioneer Supply
truck
Pioneeri Platoon
Kersantti
Pioneer Rifle team
Pioneer Rifle team
Pioneeri Squad
Kersantti
Pioneer Rifle team
Pioneer Rifle team
Pioneeri Squad
17

Divisional Support
Motivation and Skill
All Divisional support platoons are well trained and with officers often drawn from the
regular army specialists. They have suffered least from the years of static warfare. Regular
units, marked ( ), are rated Reluctant Veteran. Elite Units, marked ( ) or with no
symbol, are rated Confident Veteran.
Your Divisional Support Platoons must be either Regular (marked ) or
Elite (marked ). All Support platoons marked with any of these symbols
must be from the same symbol. Support platoons without a symbol can be
taken by either symbol choice.
Reluctant
Confident
Fearless
Reluctant
Confident
Fearless
Conscript
Trained
Veteran
Conscript
Trained
Veteran
Panssari Platoon
Luutnantti
Platoon
5 T-26 145 points
4 T-26 115 points
3 T-26 85 points
5 Panzer IV J 430 points
4 Panzer IV J 345 points
3 Panzer IV J 260 points
Kersantti
Luutnantti
Command tank
HQ tank
Kersantti
3 T-34/85 315 points
Tank
Tank
3 T-34/76 220 points
Option
• Upgrade any T-34/76 tanks to have Cupolas for
+5 points per tank.
Panssari companies saw fighting in the Lapland war in
support of the infantry. The Finns used T-26, T-34, Panzer
IV J tanks and Sturmi assault guns at first. However, Sturmi
assault guns were sent home due to too low ground clearance.
T-26 and T-28 models were officially withdrawn from
frontline service in August after heavy losses of T-26 tanks.
In fact, despite this order, a T-26 platoon supported the 3 rd
Division during the battle for Tornio in October 1944.
Tank
Panssari Section
Panssari Platoon
Tank
Panssari Section
The KV-1 and T-34 tanks continued in action until the end
of the campaign and proved the best performers in these
tough conditions.
Finnish Companies may only field one Panssari Platoon
equipped T-34/76 tanks, as only three of these tanks saw service
with the Finns in 1944.
Self-propelled Anti-aircraft Platoon
Platoon
2 Anti II 110 points
Luutnantti
Luutnantti
Kersanti
The Swedish made Landsverk Anti II self-propelled antiaircraft
guns are very serviceable weapons. Whether screening
Finnish troops during mobile operations or guarding the
tanks against enemy aircraft, their 40mm Bofors cannon and
high rate of fire make them very useful. Unfortunately there
are very few of them.
Command Landsverk
Anti II tank
HQ Section
Landsverk
Anti II tank
Anti-aircraft Section
Self-propelled Anti-aircraft Platoon
18

Finnish
Armoured Car Platoon
Platoon
3 BA-10 120 points
2 BA-10 80 points
Some of the many Soviet armoured cars captured in the
Winter War are now used for reconnaissance in the Panssari
Division. The BA-10 armoured car is the preferred model,
with the lighter Soviet vehicles being discarded.
An Armoured Car Platoon is a Reconnaissance Platoon.
Kersantti
BA-10 armoured car
Armoured Car
Section
Luutnantti
Luutnantti
Command BA-10
armoured car
HQ Section
Kersantti
BA-10 armoured car
Armoured Car
Section
Armoured Car Platoon
Divisional Support
Heavy Anti-tank Platoon
Platoon
Luutnantti
Luutnantti
HQ Section with
2 50 PstK/38 guns 55 points 60 points
Command
SMG team
2 75 PstK/40 guns 90 points 105 points
1 75 PstK/40 gun 45 points 55 points
Kersantti
HQ Section
Kersantti
Option
• Add Panzerfaust Rifle teams for +25 points per team
or replace Command SMG team with Command
Panzerfaust SMG team for +10 points.
The divisional anti-tank gun units have been re-equipped,
mostly with the German 75mm anti-tank guns. These are far
more effective against armour. The smaller guns have been
retained at regimental level. The divisional anti-tank platoons
rely less on close-defence teams, but those that remain form
Anti-tank gun
Panzerfaust
Rifle team
Anti-tank Section
Anti-tank gun
Panzerfaust
Rifle team
Anti-tank Section
Heavy Anti-tank Platoon
tank-hunter teams armed with the new German Panzerfaust
anti-tank launchers.
Anti-aircraft Platoon
Platoon
HQ Section with:
2 40 ItK/38 55 points 65 points
2 20 ItK/38 45 points 55 points
Luutnantti
Luutnantti
Command
SMG team
HQ Section
2 20 ItK/35 Breda 45 points 55 points
Option
• Add 3-ton trucks for +5 points for the platoon.
Kersantti
Anti-aircraft gun
Kersantti
Anti-aircraft gun
Finland now has lots of anti-aircraft guns, even up to 88mm
calibre, although most are deployed around Helsinki and
Turku to defend against bombing raids. On the front line
the durable and effective Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft gun continues
to be the primary form of air defence, with German
20mm guns also still in use.
3-ton truck
3-ton truck
Anti-aircraft Section Anti-aircraft Section
Anti-aircraft Platoon
19

Artillery Battery
Platoon
HQ Section with:
4 76 K/36 guns 160 points 180 points
2 76 K/36 guns 85 points 95 points
Luutnantti
Luutnantti
Horse-drawn wagon
4 84 K/18 guns 125 points 140 points
2 84 K/18 guns 70 points 75 points
KersantTi
KersanTti
4 105 H/33 howitzers 180 points 205 points
2 105 H/33 howitzers 95 points 110 points
4 122 H/38 howitzers 180 points 205 points
2 122 H/38 howitzers 95 points 110 points
Options
• Add horse-drawn wagon and limbers or +5 points
for the platoon.
• Replace horse-drawn wagon with a 3-ton truck and
limbers with tractors or 3-ton trucks at no cost.
Gun or howitzer
Horse-drawn limber
Gun or howitzer
Horse-drawn limber
Gun or howitzer
Horse-drawn limber
Gun or howitzer
Horse-drawn limber
Under General Nenonen’s leadership and technical guidance,
the artillery is now well trained, well equipped, and capable
of responding quickly and accurately to fire requests.
Divisions now have excellent quality German or Swedish
105mm guns.
Artillery Battery
Artillery Batteries may not be placed in Ambush within
16”/40cm of enemy teams.
Heavy Artillery Battery
Platoon
Luutnantti
Luutnantti
HQ Section with:
4 105 K/13 guns 170 points 190 points
2 105 K/13 guns 90 points 100 points
Command SMG team
Staff team
3-ton truck
4 155 K/17 howitzers 220 points 250 points
2 155 K/17 howitzers 115 points 130 points
Kersanti
Observer Rifle team
Kersanti
Observer Rifle team
4 152 H/43 howitzers 225 points 255 points
2 152 H/43 howitzers 120 points 135 points
Howitzer
Howitzer
4 150 H/40 howitzers 240 points 270 points
2 150 H/40 howitzers 130 points 145 points
Tractor
Tractor
Option
• Add a 3-ton truck and limbers with tractors for
+5 points for the platoon.
Howitzer
Howitzer
New fire control calculation cards automate range corrections
and enable rapid coordination of many batteries. A few
divisions now use captured Soviet 122mm and 152mm guns
and German 150mm guns, with our State factories once
again manufacturing good shells for them.
Tractor
Tractor
Heavy Artillery Battery
Heavy Artillery Batteries may not be placed in Ambush
within 16”/40cm of enemy teams.
20

Finnish
Air Support
Limited Air Support
Ju 88
Sporadic Air support
Ju 88
135 points
100 points
LuuTNANTti
LuUTNANTti
JU-88
Flight
Flight
Finnish Equipment Recognition Guide
Finnish Name Foreign Name Original Nationality Model to Use
T-26 T-26 obr 1939 Soviet SU002
T-34/76 T-34 obr 1941, T-34 obr 1942 Soviet SU052, SU053
T-34/85 T-34 obr 1943 Soviet SU055
Panzer IV J Panzer IV J German GBX68
Equipment Recognition Guide
Landsverk Anti II - Swedish FI160
Famo Sd Kfz 9 (18t) half-track German GE600
20 ItK/38 gun 2cm FlaK38 gun German GE542
20 ItK/35 Breda gun 20/65 gun Italian IT561
40 ItK/38 gun 40mm Bofors gun Swedish US541, BR540
50 PstK/38 gun 5cm PaK38 gun German GE510
75 PstK/40 gun 7.5cm PaK40 gun German GE520
76 K/36 gun 76.2mm F-22 gun Soviet GSO505
84 K/18 gun OQF 18 pdr gun British BSO507
105 K/13 gun 105mm L mle 1913 S gun French FRX08
105 H/33 howitzer 10.5cm leFH18 howitzer German GE572
122 H/38 howitzer 122mm obr 1938 howitzer Soviet SU576
150 H/40 howitzer 15cm sFH18 howitzer German GBX20
152 H/43 howitzer 152mm obr 1943 howitzer Soviet SBX10
155 K/17 howitzer 155mm C mle 1917 S howitzer French FRX08
Tractor Stalinets tractor Soviet SU273
3-ton truck ZIS-5, Opel Blitz Soviet, German SU422, GE431
Special Order Catalogue
Remember the Finns appear in the Special Order Catalogue where you can get the FSO101 Finnish Command Group, FSO102
Finnish Artillery Group, FSO103 Finnish Panzerfausts, FSO104 Finnish Panzerschreck Team and SU040 T-28 tank.
21

Finnish Arsenal
Tank Teams
Armour
Name Mobility Front Side Top Equipment and Notes
Weapon Range ROF Anti-tank Firepower
Tanks
T-26 Slow Tank 1 1 1 Co-ax MG, Limited vision, Unreliable.
45mm obr 1934 gun 24”/60cm 2 7 4+
Panzer IV J Standard Tank 6 3 1 Co-ax MG, Hull MG, Protected ammo, Schürzen.
7.5cm KwK40 gun 32”/80cm 2 11 3+ Slow traverse.
T-34/76 Standard Tank 6 5 1 Co-ax MG, Fast tank, Hull MG, Limited vision, Wide-track.
76mm F-34 gun 32”/80cm 2 9 3+
T-34/85 Standard Tank 7 5 1 Co-ax MG, Hull MG, Limited vision.
85mm D-5T gun 32”/80cm 2 12 3+
Self-propelled Anti-aircraft
Landsverk Anti II Standard Tank 2 1 0
40 ItK/38 gun 24”/60cm 4 6 4+ Anti-aircraft.
Armoured Cars
BA-10 Wheeled 1 0 0 Co-ax MG, Hull MG, Limited vision.
45mm obr 1934 gun 24”/60cm 2 7 4+
Vehicle Machine-guns
Vehicle MG 16”/40cm 3 2 6 ROF 1 if other weapons fire.
Armour
Vehicle Mobility Front Side Top Equipment and Notes
Weapon Range ROF Anti-tank Firepower
Trucks
3-ton truck Wheeled - - -
Horse-drawn wagon Wagon - - -
Tractors
Transport Teams
Stalinets tractor Slow Tank - - -
Horse-drawn limber Wagon - - -
22

Finnish
Gun Teams
Weapon Mobility Range ROF Anti-tank Firepower Notes
Maxim HMG Man-packed 24”/60cm 6 2 6 ROF 3 when pinned down or moving.
Lahti anti-tank rifle Man-packed 16”/40cm 3 5 5+
Tampella M/35 81mm mortar Man-packed 24”/60cm 2 2 3+ Minimum range 8”/20cm, Smoke.
Firing bombardments 40”/100cm - 2 6 Smoke bombardment.
Tampella M/40 120mm mortar Light 56”/140cm - 3 3+ Smoke bombardment.
50 PstK/38 gun Medium 24”/60cm 3 9 4+ Gun shield.
75 PstK/40 gun Medium 32”/80cm 2 12 3+ Gun shield.
20 ItK/38 gun Light 16”/40cm 4 5 5+ Anti-aircraft, Turntable.
20 ItK/35 Breda Light 16”/40cm 4 5 5+ Anti-aircraft, Turntable.
40 ItK/38 gun Immobile 24”/60cm 4 6 4+ Anti-aircraft, Turntable.
76 K/36 gun Heavy 32”/80cm 2 10 3+ Gun shield.
Firing bombardments 80”/200cm - 3 6
84 K/18 gun Heavy 24”/60cm 2 8 3+ Gun shield, Smoke, Turntable.
Firing bombardments 72”/180cm - 3 6 Smoke bombardment.
105 K/13 gun Immobile 24”/60cm 1 9 2+ Gun shield.
Firing bombardments 80”/200cm - 4 4+
105 H/33 howitzer Immobile 24”/60cm 1 10 2+ Breakthrough gun, Gun shield, Smoke.
Firing bombardments 72”/180cm - 4 4+ Smoke bombardment.
122 H/38 howitzer Immobile 24”/60cm 1 7 2+ Breakthrough gun, Gun shield.
Firing bombardments 80”/200cm - 4 3+
152 H/43 howitzer Immobile 24”/60cm 1 10 1+ Bunker buster, Gun shield.
Firing bombardments 80”/200cm - 5 2+
150 H/40 howitzer Immobile 24”/60cm 1 13 1+ Bunker buster, Smoke.
Firing bombardments 80”/200cm - 5 2+ Smoke bombardment.
155 K/17 howitzer Immobile 16”/40cm 1 10 1+ Bunker buster, Gun shield.
Firing bombardments 72”/180cm - 5 2+
Arsenal
Team Range ROF Anti-tank Firepower Notes
Rifle team 16”/40cm 1 2 6
Rifle/MG team 16”/40cm 2 2 6
SMG team 4”/10cm 3 1 6 Full ROF when moving.
Light Mortar team 16”40cm 1 1 4+ Can fire over friendly teams.
Panzerschreck team 8”/20cm 2 11 5+ Tank Assault 5.
Flame-thrower team 4”/10cm 2 - 6 Flame-thrower.
Staff team 16”/40cm 1 2 6 Moves as a Heavy Gun team.
Additional Training and Equipment
Panzerfaust 4”/10cm 1 12 5+ Tank Assault 6, Cannot shoot in the Shooting Step if moved in the
Movement Step.
Close-defence and Pioneer teams are rated as Tank Assault 4.
Infantry Teams
AIRCRAFT
Aircraft Weapon To Hit Anti-tank Firepower Notes
Ju 88 Bombs 4+ 5 1+
23